Alternative to the North Dakota FAIR Plan
We can help you find alternatives to the FAIR Plan in North Dakota.
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Alternatives to the North Dakota FAIR Plan
North Dakota is one of the most beautiful states in the nation. But, as with any other state, the area tends to be highly prone to damage from natural disasters. Floods, blizzards, fires, and tornados have all
ravaged the state in recent years.
Flooding continues to be one of the most significant problems for residents of North Dakota. In 2011, the Souris River flooded higher than it had at any other point in the past 100 years. Roughly 11,000
homes needed to be evacuated. Fortunately, forecasters were able to predict the flooding as soon as water overtopped dikes in Minot.
The advanced warning allowed many people to escape at-risk areas before the flooding began. However, property damage was still quite significant.
The flooding caused billions in property damage. Similar flooding occurred in 1997 when the Red River generated more than $3.5 billion in damage.
Engineers attempted to deploy sandbags to help prevent flooding, but their efforts appeared to be rather useless. Water reached more than three miles inland. Although no one died as a result of the
flood, cleanup efforts took years.
Additionally, winters can be quite harsh in North Dakota. It’s not surprising to see multiple blizzards hit the state in the same year. For instance, in 1997, the Red River Valley was ravaged by eight blizzards.
More recently, a storm that presented blizzard-like conditions moved across the state in March 2019.
The storm not only brought heavy rain but a snow/ice mix and high winds as well. This storm caused state officials not only to close local roads but interstates and highways as well. The wet precipitation
caused the roofs of several buildings to collapse. Other areas of the state reported street flooding.
Nearly 10,000 people were without power across the state. It’s not just winters that are harsh in North Dakota, either. Summers in North Dakota can bring about fires and tornadoes. The area can be particularly dry in the summertime, which could allow wildfires to
spread.
The North Dakota Insurance Department has not implemented a FAIR Plan in the state, likely due to a lower population and healthy marketplace. However, North Dakota residents should realize that, contrary to popular belief, FAIR Plans are not their only option for coverage.
Those who live in high-risk areas should look toward the private market for coverage, where they may find viable alternatives that provide better coverage and more affordable rates than the FAIR Plan.
Unable to Obtain Coverage?
Many consumers opt to allow their mortgage companies to add “force-placed" or “lender-placed" coverage to their homes. Unfortunately, mortgage companies often fail to clearly state that these policies typically do not cover personal property, loss of use, or liability. They are typically insurance policies that the consumer pays for, but they mostly benefit a bank rather than the consumer. Mortgage-forced policies are the least safe option in the market.
Since FAIR Plans are considered the market of last resort (and ND does not have one), North Dakota consumers will be best served when they find an agent with experience in high-risk insurance as well as the right resources and carriers. Ultimately the end goal is to obtain the right coverage at a competitive price and with the right agent; that can be accomplished in almost any situation.